The very first Disney park ever built, Disneyland is still massively popular today. With millions of visitors per year, the area surrounding the theme park is rife with hotels. Fortunately for travelers, many of the major hotel chains have a footprint in Anaheim, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Choice and IHG. This means you have plenty of options when it comes to where you’re staying.
Let’s take a look at the best Disneyland hotels you can book on points and where to stay at Disneyland.
Marriott hotels near Disneyland
Our favorite option, however, mixes both. The Fairfield Anaheim Resort is located across the street from Disneyland and costs as little as 30,000 points per night.
Otherwise, Marriott has a handful of co-branded credit cards that offer some fairly generous welcome bonuses. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, for example, comes with this welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $200 in Statement Credits for eligible purchases at U.S. Restaurants within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Nerdy tip: Marriott has announced a dynamic award chart launching in March 2022, which means redeeming points may get more costly. Book now to lock in your rates.
Hilton hotels near Disneyland
Like Marriott, Hilton has several different credit cards that offer generous welcome bonuses. These include the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, which will give you up to bonus points after completing a minimum spend goal: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, you can earn an additional 50,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend a total of $10,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months. Terms Apply.
If you have AmEx points you can transfer those points to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio.
Hyatt hotels near Disneyland
Standard room redemptions are 12,000 points a night and can drop to off-peak rates of 9,000 points when Hyatt launches its dynamic award chart. Although it doesn’t offer a free shuttle, you can still take a ride to the park for just $6 round-trip.
Hyatt has a consumer credit card and a business version. Both give you the ability to earn Hyatt points with your purchases, along with other perks, like an annual free night certificate. You can also transfer over Chase points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.
Choice hotels near Disneyland
A highly underrated program, Choice hotels offers over 30 hotels around the Anaheim area, with five located within two miles of Disneyland Resort. With Choice, you’ll find properties ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 points per night, depending on the time of year.
One of its newest, the Cambria Hotel Anaheim Resort, had its grand opening in January 2020. Along with a 30,000 square foot water park, the hotel features a putting green and an outdoor movie wall. The best part about the hotel? You can redeem your points here for a suite — and it won’t cost extra.
A one-bedroom suite that sleeps six will cost as little as 20,000 points per night:
Let’s reiterate this: You can stay in a one-bedroom suite at a new hotel less than two miles from Disneyland, with a waterpark, for 10,000 Citi points per night. This makes Cambria Hotel Anaheim Resort one of the best places to stay at Disneyland.
Choice has also partnered with AmEx, which means you can transfer over AmEx points at a 1:1 ratio. This is a decent option, but isn’t nearly as lucrative as Citi’s partnership.
IHG hotels near Disneyland
Like other hotel chains, IHG has plenty of options around Disneyland. IHG has a wildly varying dynamic award chart based on demand, which can make it a bit difficult to plan hotel stays. However, a decent option for just about everyone is the Staybridge Suites Anaheim At the Park. Redemptions range from about 20,000 to 45,000 points per night, but with this rate, you can net yourself a one-bedroom suite complete with a kitchen and living room:
The hotel is pet friendly and includes complimentary breakfast — if you haven’t already cooked it in your room.
The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card offers the following welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening Even better, cardholders are entitled to their fourth night free on award stays. You can also opt to transfer in your Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to IHG at a 1:1 ratio.
Other ways to use points for your Disneyland vacation
Though many points hobbyists will focus their points redemptions on hotel stays, there are plenty of other ways to spend smart in California.
If you want to stay at Disneyland hotels on points
Staying at Disneyland with hotel points is simple. With options from every major hotel chain, you can opt for luxurious lodgings — even suites — at reasonable rates. Whether you’re a Hyatt loyalist or a Citi point enthusiast, you can book a stay with ease and enjoy your Disneyland vacation.
The information related to the Citi Prestige® Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
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This post was originally published on Nerd Wallet
